London's Wicked Affair

Midnight Secrets, Book 1

By: Anabelle Bryant

Narrated by: Victoria Aston

In Anabelle Bryant's wickedly romantic new series, secrets and seduction go hand in hand....

Lunden Beckford, duke of Scarsdale, has chosen to exile himself far from London, with its painful memories and cruel gossip. Forced back to town on business, he's eager to make his stay as brief as possible. But first, he must honor his promise to find a suitable husband for his friend's little sister.

On one hand, Amelia Strathmore has grown into a stunning, statuesque beauty. On the other, the willful chit is more likely to scandalize a drawing room with her outspoken opinions than blush prettily. At least she agrees to accept his help - if he fulfills certain conditions....

Though duty-bound to marry, Amelia longs to secretly enjoy some of life's freedoms first. In this, as in many things, Lunden proves an excellent guide. In fact, Amelia's girlhood admiration for her brother's friend is fast becoming something far less innocent.

Lunden believes he's known too much darkness to offer any woman happiness. Yet Amelia is starting to see how much pleasure can lie within the right partnership - especially if one is willing to be a little wicked....

Contains mature themes.

©2018 Anabelle Bryant (P)2018 Tantor

Falling for your friend’s sibling is one of my favorite tropes!

This is the second time around for me with this book and I enjoyed it so much both times. The first time I read and then this time I listened. I loved the storyline and I liked the narrator as she was easy to follow.

Marry for love

Amelia's continues rants "I wish to marry for love" was tiresome. London's poor poor pitiful me monologs, tiresome. The breathy narrator tiresome. Waiting till the very last chapter to get some slightly interesting information on some of the characters was madding. Call me a sucker because even after that review I will listen to book 2.

Great read

I love London’s mellowness but I wish he would of fought back to Amelia’s brother . Also I’m said there was no epilogue!! I need those !!
Did London and Matthew make up and apologize. Did they have kids ? Where did they end of living ? What happened to Charlotte?? Poor girl was miserable ... overall I liked the story
Thank you !

Great characters

Lovely story with interesting characters and relationships. The narrator is good but reads like she’s on a marathon. She should slow down, take some pauses. I had to reduce the speed to enjoy it.

Excellent beginning to a new series by the talented Anabelle Bryant!

Loved this story, the twists and turns, and the well written characters. Lunden and Amelia's love story is to die for. They're drawn to each other like a moth to a flame, but Lunden believes he's wrong for Amelia. Plus, he promised her brother he would help him find her a suitable husband! The attraction between them is powerful and the sexual tension is off the charts. Along with the romance there is plenty of intrigue and you'll probably forego sleep (as I did) to find out what happens. Enjoy!

One moment changes everything....

One reviewer had nothing but complaints, she obviously doesn’t pay much attention when listening to a book because each of her complaints were actually effectively dealt with as part of the story line! That’s how it’s done.... creating the plot, filling it out, making reason for action and choice... that’s called writing. But you have to actually read or listen before you state opinions on only a small perception of what the story was....

This was a good book. Not a very good book or a great book or an ok book, but a good book. There was room for more... I kind of missed that more. It made me mad at one point, I mean quite angry!.... I wanted that nasty man to get his comeuppance! but it all works out in the end, the HEA that makes a romance a romance.

Touchy subject for the time, handled well.

Not much heat, plenty of angst.

Definitely don’t regret it, neither will you I hope.

Good narration too.

Too Much Description

Although the story was interesting enough its unfolding was bogged down with over-dramatization of the character's thoughts. Sometimes to the point of the listener losing track of the conversation taking place. I always finish the books that I start listening to, but I was sorely tempted to stop listening to this one before it's conclusion. I did fast forward several times out of frustration. Eliminating a quarter of the extensive narrative of the character's thoughts would have increased the story's pace while still maintaining the integrity of the characters and the storyline. I would have better enjoyed the listen.

Hand-wringing in excess

Annabelle Brian is a good writer. Though in this humorless tome, the problem is with the plot. We have a wimpy, damaged hero, who never comes forward, until the last paragraph! Indecisive and without resolve, this fabulously handsome man still fails to excite. The heroine is more forthright, yet constrained by tight societal standards that she must obey. She finally comes forward, but our hero does not, being mired in his own depression.
There is actually an interesting plot, with a dark backstory. But it doesn’t make up for the hand ringing, the moaning, and the endless suffering…

Interesting story

This story was interesting though it seemed a bit vague at times. I struggled to follow the motivation of the hero. However, what really pulled me out of the story, time and again, was the language. I am not certain of the author's intent when she says thing such as "her eyes mesmerized his face" as she gazes at the hero while he sleeps. I think she meant memorized.

not the best but still good

I didn't love this story, but I did like it. there were parts that were amusing and overall it was sweet . I got this book as part of the romance package. the second and third books about supporting characters will have to be bought... I bought book two but haven't started it
the narrator: sometimes it was hard to tell who was supposed to be talking ( I would have to wait for a "Matt says" or" Amelia asked" and then I'd be like oh now it makes sense)her voices tended towards the feminine more often than not. her voices weren't great.
IDK if this is an authors error or narrator but she did keep referring to the ducal property as a dooky not a dukedom or duchy. it was weird.